


Guardian(s) of the Force

by QuietGingerFangirl



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-16 09:00:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11249889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuietGingerFangirl/pseuds/QuietGingerFangirl
Summary: What if Anakin wasn't the Chosen One?  What if it was a Grey Jedi instead?  And what if Obi-Wan fell in love with her?  How things would have been different if Anakin didn't have the weight of the Galaxy on his shoulders.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction (written down that is), so patience would be appreciated. Hope you enjoy the story!

    It's on a simple recon mission when Obi-Wan Kenobi first feels it; a tremor in the Force, like someone is reaching out for help.  He quickly traces it, searching for the person's Force signature, when the panic hits him.  It freezes him in his tracks, dread seeping into his veins like ice.

 _'They're in trouble,'_ Obi-Wan thinks, working to push away the fear.  He moves through the crowds, simultaneously reaching out to the person, trying to comfort them.  The panic slowly recedes, instead being replaced with determination.  Obi-Wan breaks into a run, not wanting harm to come to this mystery person.  He runs onto a street where the Force is strongest and begins searching alleys.  

    Suddenly an immense anger hits him like a blaster bolt; such fury and rage he had not felt since Maul killed his Master.  A shockwave rippled through the Force, and Obi-Wan sensed death.  But who's?

    Quickly he reaches out to reassure himself that the mystery person remained.  Their life force is steady but slightly muted; full of guilt and darkness.  Obi-Wan breathes out a sigh of relief and continues searching.  He just finishes looking down an alley when he spots a girl emerge from one several buildings down.  A quick scan with the Force confirms her identity: it's his mystery person.  When she begins walking swiftly away from him, he calls out,

    "Wait!"

    Without looking behind her, the girl takes off into a sprint.  Cursing his stupidity, Obi-Wan follows suit, but the girl is fast.  She ducks into an alley and scales the wall, jumping from out-cropping to another with incredible ease.  She reaches the roof and disappears from view.  Gathering the Force, Obi-Wan jumps and lands inches from where the girl did.  A quick glance around shows her nowhere in sight.  He reaches out with his mind, but can't sense the girl's Force signature; she has simply vanished.

    "What...?" Obi-Wan trails off.  _'Perhaps she left some clue back in that alley.'_

    Returning there, Obi-Wan discovers a shocking sight; the bodies of eight men lay strewn across the ground, some blood and broken bones visible.  Even from where he stands, Obi-Wan can tell they are all dead.  Blaster marks speckle the walls and ground around them , but he didn't' see any on the girl.

    _'If she took all these men out without receiving a scratch...'_ Obi-Wan shakes his head.  ' _But how did they die?  I can see no blaster marks on them.'_

    Crouching next to one corpse, he studies it closely, using the Force to move it. Aside from some non-fatal injuries on the arms and legs, there is also bruising around the neck. Further inspection shows the neck was broken, snapped with strong force but there are no telltale marks on the skin.  Going from corpse to corpse, Obi-Wan studies their wounds, seeing the same thing; all necks were snapped, but by what?

     _'There are wounds on the bodies but I didn't see a weapon on the girl that could have caused them_ ,' Obi-Wan thinks, stroking his beard.  _'How did she do this?  The Force?  Hm, possibly, perhaps for their necks, but the other injuries?'_ He looks around the alley for anything that could have been used defensively.  A long metal rod catches his eye and he uses the Force to levitate it for inspection.  There are several dents on the ends and what could be blood.  _'She must have used this.  There might be some DNA on it; I'll take it back to the Temple for analysis.'_

    Obi-Wan stands and takes in the scene, trying to imagine what the girl had faced.  _'She was probably cornered; these men look like the criminal type, or at least they dressed like it.  They must have tried something or were about to, so she grabbed the nearest object she could find and fought back.  I bet they were surprised at her skill.  If I had to guess..._ '  Obi-Wan frowns, taking in the positions of the injuries, the color of the bruising, and the places where they had fallen, trying to figure out how quickly the wounds were inflicted.  Carefully, he grips the rod, holding it near the middle and swings it around, imagining attackers coming at him.  A realization turns his blood cold and he barely hears the clatter of the rod on the ground as he chokes out,

     "She was trained by Sith."

 

    Obi-Wan completes his mission without further interruptions, but he can’t seem to drive the girl from his thoughts. There are too many unanswered questions: Who is she? Who taught her? How did she vanish so thoroughly? And how was he supposed to find her? Obi-Wan is desperate for answers, but they will have to wait; there is a war going on and he has a duty to the Republic and to his men.

            Soon weeks have passed with no further sightings of the mystery girl and Obi-Wan has focused on more important matters. That is, until Master Plo makes a discovery.

            Obi-Wan is on Coruscant after a particularly tiring mission involving Anakin, several dozen assassin droids, and a spectacular crash. He is using the time to rest and catch up on some reading. He is about to take a sip of his favorite tea when his comm. beeps.

            “Council meeting in ten, Kenobi,” Windu says, then ends the transmission.

            Obi-Wan sighs then, finishing his tea, stands and searches for his cloak. Once he finds it, he heads to the Council Room. The others are already seated and when he joins them, Master Plo Koon begins.

            “You all recall Master Kenobi’s report about the ‘mystery girl’?” Everyone nods. “I believe I have run into her as well. I too sensed a strong presence in the Force, stronger and more powerful than I have ever felt before, then without warning, it vanished, leaving no trace.”

            Many murmurs arise among the other Masters as they process Master Plo’s words. Obi-Wan feels the need to reiterate how dangerous this mystery woman is, so he says,

            “I believe this woman was trained by Sith.” Silence. “The way she killed those men was definitely a Sith technique, and also,” Obi-Wan pauses, thinking, “And, the way she defended herself, I think it was the Jedi fighting style, Juyo.” ( _Juyo is an advanced and extremely aggressive form, requiring agile footwork, fluidity, and intense focus_.)

            More murmurs break out; an unknown entity strong in the Force, knowledgeable in both Sith and Jedi techniques? A very dangerous thing, especially in times of war.

            “Could this girl _be_ Sith? A new apprentice of Dooku, perhaps?” Shaak Tii voices the questions everyone is thinking, her hologram flickering.

            “I do not believe so,” Master Plo answers. “I sensed too much light in the girl, far too much for her to be Sith.”

            “She may not be Sith, but she’s hardly Jedi,” Obi-Wan states. “There was light, yes, but also much of the Dark Side, and,” he pauses, “I think the darkness is winning.”

            More muttering. All this time, Master Yoda had remained silent, deep in thought, but now he stirs. “Find this girl, before the Sith, we must.”

            Obi-Wan leans forward in his chair. “I do not believe this girl will be easy to find. It appears she can mask her Force signature; how can we find someone who may not want to be found?”

            “The will of the Force, it was, that brought you together. A third time, I think, find her, you will.” Master Yoda’s words are final, and with them the meeting ends.


	2. Chapter Two

More weeks pass as Obi-Wan continues in his duties as General. He hasn’t forgotten Master Yoda’s words, but hasn’t had the time to search properly.   He’ll just have to trust the Force will bring them together once more.

            Obi-Wan’s and Anakin’s squadrons are currently assigned to protect an important planet in the Middle Rim from Separatist invasion. They deflect attack after attack, enemy forces annoyingly persistent. Obi-Wan decides one day, nine cycles into this tiring campaign, to take the night off. The planet is known for its colorful nightlife, with dancing and drinking a way of life, so he chooses to relax at one of the more popular clubs.

            Obi-Wan is perfectly content to simply sit and observe, drinking and listening to the music, when he sees her. He has seen beautiful women; Satine is gorgeous; but this woman is something else. She seems almost ethereal; tall, slender and impossibly graceful, with dark auburn hair falling down her back in waves as she moves to the music. And her dancing; it’s so mesmerizing that Obi-Wan can’t look away.

            Suddenly she turns to face him, brilliant green eyes visible even at this distance, and she smiles. Something seems to flow between them, but then another man moves in front of her and the connection fades.  The dancing man tries to put his hands on the woman’s waist but she pulls away effortlessly. He tries again and Obi-Wan hears himself growl. _‘How dare he put his hands on her!’_

He finds himself on his feet, a sudden protectiveness for the woman driving him forward. She pulls away from the man again and spins…right into Obi-Wan. He catches her, their eyes meeting and in an instant the music seems to fade. They are so close he can almost count all the freckles dusting her cheeks. The woman is still, shocked, full red lips open in a silent ‘o’, then she regains her composure and resumes dancing. After a moment’s hesitation, Obi-Wan follows her lead. He loses himself to the beat of the music, spinning the woman around basking in the dazzling smile she gives him. The connection from before returns and Obi-Wan can’t help but think the woman seems rather familiar.

They dance for what feels like hours until the woman moves to the bar and orders drinks. Obi-Wan follows after an invitation: a simple jerk of her head, and sits next to her, trying to catch his breath.

            “I haven’t danced like that in years!” the woman says over the music, accent similar to his. A smile graces her lips, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. She pushes a drink towards him then stretches. The movement pulls her sleeveless top up a little and Obi-Wan has to work to tear his gaze away from the strip of skin visible. “What about you?” She takes a sip of her drink. “I thought Jedi weren’t allowed to dance.” There is an undertone to her voice that Obi-Wan can’t decipher.

            He pushes it aside and chuckles at her question. “Oh, we can, but some think it a waste of time.”

            “And what do you think?” the woman asks, leaning closer, coy smile and sweet scent washing over him.

            “I think it’s a welcome distraction from the war, if done in the right company.” Obi-Wan winks at her, smiling.

            That earns him a laugh. “Oh, I like you, Master Jedi. Dancing is a good way to distract yourself. There are others, of course, but I find dancing to be the most effective.”

            Obi-Wan is about to reply when a presence flickers in the Force; it only takes him a second to recognize it. ‘ _The girl from the alley; she’s here right now_.’ Quickly, he scans the crowd, trying to pinpoint her location, but her signature is scattered. And he barely got a look at her, so trying to find her face is useless.

            “Looking for someone?”

            Obi-Wan starts; he had momentarily forgotten about the woman sitting next to him. “I…uh, yes. I just felt the presence of a…friend. I’m just looking for her.” Obi-Wan begins to feel slightly sluggish, his thoughts slowing. ‘ _I guess that alcohol from earlier was stronger than I thought._ ’ The woman is speaking and he returns his attention to her in time to catch,

            “-look like? Perhaps I can help?”

            “I don’t really know actually,” Obi-Wan admits. “I only met her once, and didn’t get a good look at her face.”

            “Only once, huh? When was this?”

            Obi-Wan knew that normally he wouldn’t tell a stranger so much but his thoughts were strangely foggy, probably from the drinks, and she seems harmless…

            “About four months ago. I was on…Abean, I think. I felt a very strong Force signature, stronger than any Jedi, and got curious whose it was. She was in trouble, too, I think.”

            “Were you able to help her, your friend?”

            “No…no, I didn’t get there in time, but she didn’t need my help. I saw her as she left the alley.” Obi-Wan leans closer and the woman copies his movements. “When I checked the alley, her attackers, criminals by the looks of them, were all,” he lowers his voice an octave, the woman leaning in more, “dead. And evidence suggested that she killed them with the Force.”

            The woman’s lack of reaction to this revelation should have tipped off Obi-Wan that something was amiss, but it was steadily becoming harder to think.

            “Are you going to punish her?” she prompted slightly.

            “No, it was self-defense; or that’s what it looked like…,” Obi-Wan trails off, trying hard to think. Something wasn’t quite right, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

            “So, what are you going to do? Assuming you find her.” The woman sounds disinterested, but her posture is stiff.

            “Well, I think she was trained as a Jedi, but she’s slipping. I could sense it; she’s having a hard time controlling her emotions, especially her anger. That’s very dangerous; it could lead her to the Dark Side. I just want to help her,” Obi-Wan finishes simply.

            A flurry of emotions pass across the woman’s face, some too quick to identify, but Obi-Wan sees surprise, confusion, then a flash of anger. Then considering her answer for a moment, the woman says carefully, “What if this girl doesn’t want help?”

            Obi-Wan frowns at this, taken aback. “Why wouldn’t she? She can’t want to turn to the Dark Side; not with the guilt I sensed in her.”

            “Well, maybe she’s been through a lot and doesn’t want to get hurt again!” The woman snaps, eyes flashing with anger and for a split second, the Force presence flares like a blinding red light, then vanishes just as quickly, leaving Obi-Wan reeling.

            Recovering, he says kindly, keeping his voice level, “She still needs help, even if she doesn’t want it.”

            His tone calms the woman slightly and she slumps, sighing.

            “You’re right; I do need help. I just don’t know if you're capable of giving it.”


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait; I've had a rough go of it lately. Hope you enjoy and I'll try to update soon!

            “Wait, what?” Obi-Wan isn’t sure he heard right. He studies the woman again, looking for anything familiar, then whatever had clouded his mind dissipates and he can sense the Force clearly once more. Instead of the Force signature being scattered, it’s whole…and coming from the woman sitting next to him. He tentatively probes her mind, only to find strong mental shields, but then she reaches out as well. An apology is evident in the contact and he realizes it was her who clouded his mind.

            “I wasn’t sure why you were here, and I didn’t know what to do,” she explains quickly. “When you said you only wanted to help, I was so relieved. I’m sorry to affect your mind like that; I usually stay away from those techniques.”

            Obi-Wan raises a hand to pause her ranting and she obliges. “While I don’t appreciate my mind being…affected, I do understand why you did it. Though,” he frowns, “I’m not sure how you did it without me noticing.”

            “I didn’t enter your mind, so you weren’t able to sense my actions. I just put a sort of…fog around it; the alcohol helped too. It takes years of training and practice to master. And, I may have also sent a prompting or two through the Force,” she admits sheepishly. “I’m surprised it didn’t tip you off.”

            “Hm, interesting. I’m surprised as well; I should have been able to sense you sooner than I did; I am very well trained, you know.”

            The woman smiles at this, saying, “So am I.”

            “Yes, about that-” Obi-Wan is cut off by his wrist comm. beeping. “Ah, my apologies; I should take this.” He gets up, moving through the crowd to a quieter spot. Keeping an eye on the woman, he answers. Anakin’s form appears, the hologram flickering.

            “Sorry to interrupt your night off, Master, but scanners just detected two Separatist ships dropping out of hyperspace.”

            Obi-Wan curses quietly, then gestures for Anakin to continue.

            “They’re not doing much now, but without ships of our own…” Anakin sighs. “I’ve contacted the nearest cruiser but it’s a good two days away.”

            “That is bad news,” Obi-Wan says. He strokes his beard, thinking. “There’s not much we can do but hope they don’t bomb us from orbit. Have you prepared the troops?”

            “Yeah, we’ve bunked down as best we can while still being ready for their ground assault. But I don’t think they’ll risk an orbital attack; they want to control the planet. That’s a bit hard to do when there’s nothing but rubble.”

            “True,” Obi-Wan agrees. “So what is-” A clone is briefly visible while he hands Anakin a report, who quickly reads it then sighs.

            “We’ve intercepted a transmission; guess they’re waiting ‘til dawn to attack.”

            “Good, that’ll give us more time to prepare,” Obi-Wan pauses, “Their commander must be organic; wanting some rest before attacking.”

            Anakin chuckles. “They have the right idea. Ahsoka and I are going to get some sleep. You should too, Master.”

            With that, he ends the transmission, leaving Obi-Wan to ponder on the news. He is so deep in thought that he doesn’t notice the woman standing next to him until she speaks.

            “Is everything alright?”

            “What? Oh, it’s you,” Obi-Wan sighs, stroking his beard. “Well, not exactly.” And he tells her what Anakin had said. When he finishes, her brows knit with worry.

            “Where do you think the Separatists will attack? Not in the city, surely. The people have bunkers they can take refuge in, but there still might be civilian causalities.”

            Obi-Wan is impressed by this woman’s immediate concern for the welfare of others. She seems like such a kind and compassionate person that he can almost forget about the darkness within her…almost. It’s still there, waiting; he can sense it and is afraid of what she might be capable of if it reaches the surface. He shakes his head slightly and returns to the conversation.

            “We’ll draw them out if that happens, but it probably won’t. They’ll want room to maneuver. We can talk strategy on the way to HQ,” Obi-Wan pauses, “That is, if you want to help.”

            “Of course,” she says, after a split second’s hesitation. Slinging a bag over her shoulder, she begins to weave around people in the direction of the exit.

            Obi-Wan follows her, smiling, thinking that Master Yoda had been right. But had the Force brought them together for good or evil?


	4. Chapter Four

Before dawn, the troops begin preparations to move to the chosen battle field outside the city. Intel suggested that it was the most likely spot for the Separatists ground forces to attack.

 Obi-Wan, who had slept on one of the cots, goes to search for the mystery woman; he hopes she hadn't taken off during the night. He sees her exiting a tent, pulling on a grey sleeveless tunic, black leggings and boots visable underneath.

"Good morning," Obi-Wan says in greeting. "How'd you sleep?"

The woman stretches, pulling back her braided hair and tying it. "I got some rest. You?"

"Rather well, actually. All that dancing took a lot out of me." Obi-Wan makes a show of stretching. "I haven't been this sore since the first battle of Geonosis."

She is about to respond to this remark when Anakin walks up with Ahsoka in tow. They greet Obi-Wan then Ahsoka asks the woman who she is.

The woman smiles and replies nonchalantly, "Oh, I'm just some girl Master Kenobi picked up last night."

Obi-Wan feels his face flush. "What...no...I...you...nothing happened!" He spluttered.

Anakin chuckles as Ahsoka looks confused then she realizes and begins to laugh.

The woman joins her then says, "True, but so is what I said, if you think about it."

Obi-Wan pauses, then waves it aside. "Remember that girl I told you about?" He says to Anakin, "the one from the alley on Abean?"

Anakin frowns for a second then, "Oh! Your 'mystery girl'!? You found her!"

Obi-Wan chuckles. "Well, she found me, but yes."

Ahsoka turns and begins to bombard the woman with questions. "Are you a Sith? Wait, nevermind, you don't feel like one. Are you Jedi? Master Kenobi says you had some Jedi training. Did you really use the Force to kill those men? Where'd you learn how to do that?"

At this Anakin cuts in. "Ahsoka! That's not polite."

The woman waves her hand dismissively. "I don't mind the questions, as long as you don't expect answers." She winks at Ahsoka.

Anakin laughs. "Obstinant, nice. The Council would absolutely _love_ you. But Ahsoka has a point; are you Jedi?"

The woman sighs, then smooths her tunic, considering the question. "No, but I did recieve the training of one, though there were some things included that Jedi don't teach."

Obi-Wan swallows his questions, deciding to further discuss this when there wasn't a Separatist threat. "We should contiue later. Right now, there are many preparations to get done."

"Right," Anakin agrees, walking towards the command tent, Ahsoka on his heels. Obi-Wan gestures for the woman to come too, and, after a moment's hesitation, she does. They walk into the command center, clones runnning in and out, carryiing messages for Cody and Rex, who stand examining a hologram of the chosen battlefield. When the Generals enter, all the clones pause in their duties to snap a salute.

"Generals, Commander, nice of you to join us," Rex says, turning back to the hologram.

"Heya Rex," Anakin replies. "What's the news?"

As Rex fills Anakin and Obi-Wan in, Cody aproaches the woman.

"Who are you, miss?"

"Hm? Oh, a friend of Kenobi's."

"And why are you here?" Cody glances at Obi-Wan, who is somewhat listening.

"I'm here to sabatoge your every move, trooper," the woman responds, deadpan.

 Immediately, Cody draws his blaster on the woman, who doesn't even blink. After a few tense moments of the two staring each other down, Obi-Wan sighs.

"She was being sarcastic, Cody. You can stand down."

Cody obeys instantly, albeit grudgingly; the woman just smirks as Cody watches her like a hawk.

"Twitchy little trooper, aren't ya?" She says, winking at him.

Obi-Wan sighs again. "Don't antagonize him."

The woman snaps to attention, just like a clone, salute and all, exclaiming, "Sir, yes, sir!" She drops it and winks again at Cody.

Obi-Wan merely rolls his eyes, smiling slightly and returns his attention to the hologram. Cody backs away slowly, eyes never leaving the woman, then does the same, hand never leaving his blaster. While they discuss different stratigies, Ahsoka moves to stand next to the woman.

"I missed your name. I'm Ahsoka; Anakin's my master."

"Pleased to meet you, Padawan Tano. And you didn't; I never gave it." The woman grasps Ahsoka's proffered hand.

"Oh? Why?" Ahsoka's question brings a touch of meloncholy to the woman's features.

"I have my reasons, little one."

The padawan frowns a bit at the nickname, then asks, "Well, what should I call you? Oh, I know!" Ahsoka gestures to some clones running past the tent flaps. "They are all issued numbers, but come up with their own sort of nickname. I could do the same for you!"

"Go for it." The woman seems amused by Ahsoka's excitement, some of the sadness fading.

Ahsoka thinks for a minute then, "Well, whenever Master Kenobi talked about you, he always called you his 'mystery girl'." She crosses her arms, shifting her weight. "That's a bit long, so how about...Myst!?"

The woman considers for a moment, then smiles. "Myst; I like it."

"Then Myst it is." Ahsoka claps her hands together, then calls to her master. "Skyguy! I came up with a nickname for Master Kenobi's friend!"

Anakin turns his attention away from the hologram, chuckling. "Of course you did, Snips. What is it?"

Obi-Wan turns toward the padawan as well, wanting to hear.

"Well, she's his 'mystery girl', so I just shortened it to...Myst."

Obi-Wan looks at the woman, Myst, and she returns his gaze, blue-grey eyes meeting brilliant green. She smiles sweetly, but he can sense the sadness behind her walls.

"Do you like it, Master Kenobi?"

"Hm?" He returns his attention back to Ahsoka. "Yes, I think it suits her nicely."

"Same here, though we could just use your real name inste-" Anakin stops, frozen in fear from the cold expression on Myst's face. He gulps, heart beating fast. "Or...or not. Myst...Myst works fine...just fine."

Appeased, Myst returns her features back into gentle amusement. Anakin glances at Obi-Wan, shaking slightly. He hadn't missed the exchange, nor the change in Myst. He had sensed the cold anger she channeled at Anakin through the Force; it was enough to scare even a hardened warrior.

The conversing is stopped by a scout signally the Separatist's forces on the approach. The clones spring into action, loading blasters, guiding tanks into position, forming ranks and moving to meet the battle droids. Those in command follow the troopers, griping their various weapons. Outside the Command tent, the enemy droids are visable; three battalions of battle droids and super battle droids, each. Two tanks follow each battalion. Spyder droids are scattered throughout it all.

"Well, at least they don't have air support." Anakin says.

"Please don't say that, Anakin." Obi-Wan winces. "You're going to jinx it."

"Right, sorry Master."

Anakin and Ahsoka move to join the troops as Obi-Wan says, "You should stay behind, Myst. I know you want to help, but it's too dangerous-"

"TT, I know how to fight, Kenobi. I've been in combat before, you know."

Anakin pauses for a second, torn between wanting to join the fighting, and listening in. "You don't even have a weapon," he adds, "how are you supposed to defend yourself?"

Myst rolls her eyes, and scoffs. "I don't need a weapon, unlike some people," she says pointedly, glancing at Anakin's open lightsaber.

"That may be true," Obi-Wan interjects, before Anakin's retort, "but you aren't trained for this sort of combat."

Myst opens her mouth to deliver a scathing remark, eyebrows furrowed when a clone shouts, "MISSILE INCOMING!!!"

Obi-Wan moves towards Myst, shouting, "Get down!", but she just turns to the fast-approaching projectile. She thrusts out her hands, right one closest. The missile, impossibly, slows, then stops, midair. Myst's hands shake from the effort, and a trickle of sweat runs down the side of her face. Eyes closed with concentration, she yells and shoves her left hand towards the missile. It shoots backwards, right to the tank it came from, and explodes on contact.

"That was a close one," Myst says, turning to the stunned Jedi; wiping the sweat away. Noticing their shocked expressions, she freezes. "What?"

Anakin's mouth is agape and Obi-Wan is struggling to form coherent thought.

"What?" Myst asks again. "You're acting like you've never seen someone do that before." She looks between them, confusion forming on her face. "You're Jedi; surely you can do things like..." she gestures to the flaming remains of the tank.

"No, we can't," Obi-Wan says, regaining some composure. "I don't think even Master Yoda could do that; not easily, at least."

Myst looks taken aback. "Seriously? You guys can't do things like that?"

Anakin shakes his head, mouth still open in shock.

"Oh, well, um..." Myst trails off, rubbing the back of her neck and glancing at the ground.

"Just how powerful are you exactly?" Anakin asks, eyes wide.

Myst looks up, a gleam in her eyes. "Oh, darling, I can take out those battalions from here."

Obi-Wan scoffs in disbelief. "Right."

Myst looks at him, a mischevious grin spreading across her face. "Oh? You wanna bet?"

In one swift movement, she turns to the droids and sweeps her left arm across the horizon. Droids collapse, sparking, then she lifts her right hand up, all the remaining tanks and droids following the movement, flying twenty yards into the air. Making a fist with her left, both the droids and tanks crumple in on themselves. Then Myst slams both hands down and the smoking metal clumps crash to the ground. The entire droid army was destroyed in less than a minute and the smoking remains hadn't touched the clones. Smirking at the destruction, Myst turns back to face Obi-Wan, swaying slightly. "Told you."

Obi-Wan is once again speechless. All he can think is what the girl's midichlorian count could possibly be.


	5. Chapter Five

After the clones clear the battlefield, they continue building defenses. There are a few more assaults, all of which are easily dealt with by Myst, before the Separatist commander decides to cease attacking. A day later, the Republic crusiers arrive and destroy the orbiting Separatist ships. Enemy defeated, Obi-Wan decides now would be a good time to take Myst to see the Jedi Council on Coruscant; there are many questions that need answering. When he proposes the idea, Myst isn't happy about it, but eventually agrees to the trip. Anakin and the 501st would be transferring to another campaign, though Ahsoka is reluctant to part with her new friend.

"I'll miss you, Myst!" Ahsoka exclaims, quickly hugging her.

Myst laughs softly, returning the hug. "I'm not going away forever, 'Soka. We'll see each other again soon. But I'll miss you, too," she adds.

"Let us know when you get there, Master," Anakin says to Obi-Wan.

"Likewise, Anakin. I doubt we'll be attacked on the way there, but I'll inform you when we arrive." Obi-Wan briefly grasps Anakin's shoulder.

"And if we are, I could easily take them," Myst says, smirking.

"Space battles are different than ground ones, Myst," Anakin tells her.

"I've been in a few, you know." Myst shrugs. "All you have to do, really, is shut down their shield generater; a bit difficult if it's an unfamiliar ship, but-"

"I hate to break up this fascinating conversation," Obi-Wan cuts in, "but we should get going."

"Right." Myst hoists her pack onto her shoulders and begins to walk towards the shuttle. "I'm flying," she calls back to Obi-Wan.

"Like hell you are," he mutters, following.

 

They drop out of hyperspace four hours later, the never-sleeping city-planet coming into view. Myst gasps, grasping her sides. 

"Oh! That's a lot of darkness," she whispers.

Obi-Wan says nothing, as he doesn't think she was talking to him; instead, he begins the descent. He carefully navigates the traffic and lands the ship on one of the Temple's landing pads. He disembarks and, after a deep breath, Myst does as well, shoulders tense.

Obi-Wan had contacted them before landing, so all the council members were gathered already, some as holograms. Myst leaves her pack outside the room then enters with Obi-Wan. He gives her an encouraging smile then takes his seat. She glances at him for a second and he can sense her anxiety and another emotion, one he can't quite understand. He reaches out, offering comfort and he can see her relax somewhat.

Myst squares her shoulders, taking another deep breath and bows her head to Master Yoda.

"So, I see Master Kenobi found his 'mystery girl'." 

 Myst smiles, turning. "Technically, I found him, Master Plo," she says, bowing her head to him as well. 

If the Master is surprised Myst knows his name, he doesn't show it. There is silence for a  minute as they try to study her, both with their eyes and the Force. Myst reveals nothing, face expressionless, and Force walls up.

Finally, Windu speaks,

"What is your name, child?"

 Myst's eyes narrow slightly, but otherwise doesn't move. After a few moments, Obi-Wan says,

"She hasn't been very forthcoming on that matter, Master Windu."

Myst smirks slightly. "If I want you to know my name, I shall tell you. Until then, you may address me as Myst."

Windu frowns then Obi-Wan explains the reason behind the name.

Master Plo chuckles. "Little 'Soka does like her nicknames."

Myst smiles at him warmly, then returns her gaze to Master Yoda, who says, 

"A powerful prescence in the Force, you have. But hide it, you do. Why?"

Myst bows her head slightly then answers, "There are many in the galaxy that would use my power for evil, Master. I hide to prevent them from sensing me."

"Hm. Difficult thing it is, to hide that much power. Much training that would take."

Myst smiles slightly, nodding. Windu frowns, then asks,

"Who was your Master? Who trained you in the ways of the Jedi? Of the Sith?"

Myst merely looks at him, eyebrows raised. "If I won't tell you my name, what makes you think I'll tell you theirs?"

Obi-Wan hides a chuckle behind a cough. ' _She's almost sassier than I am. I do hope she doesn't get into trouble,"_ he thinks.

Windu scowls, mouth tightening; several other Masters have similar expressions. Master Plo and Yoda just look amused.

"They weren't Sith, if that's what you're worried about, though some of the training I recieved...," Myst trails off.

 "They taught you Dark Side techniques?" Windu looks disgusted and there is an increase in muttering.

"Just because my training was more relaxed than yours does not mean I have any less control, Master Mundi," Myst says, turning to the Jedi. "I would work on those mental shields of yours; I can hear through them rather easily."

Mundi looks shocked, as do many others, before they school their expressions. The tension in the room rises tangibly. Obi-Wan can't blame them; Myst threw him off guard too.

"Your abilities are very powerful," Master Plo says. "Take care they don't make you prideful." 

"Of course, Master," Myst says, bowing slightly to him.

"Hm, much darkness I sense in you," Yoda leans forward. "And anger, yes, your emotions betray you."

"Do they, Master?" Myst asks innocently. "And as for the darkness," she looks at her feet, "that can't be helped."

"Yes, it can," Windu says. "With the proper training-"

"I am not Jedi!" Myst cuts him off. "I need not suppress my emotions like one."

Her outburst makes the tension rise even more. Obi-Wan can feel Myst's anger and frustration, along with the unidentified emotion.

He reaches out in the Force, sending her calming thoughts. She glances at him, gratitude in her eyes, but her muscles don't relax.

"Control yourself, girl." Windu's voice takes on a sharp edge.

Myst just squares her shoulders and glares at him. "You have no authority to tell me what to do, Jedi," she says coldly.

"Anger is the path to the Dark Side," Master Fisto points out, smooth voice calming the atmostsphere slightly.

Myst turns to him, eyebrow raised. "That is the narrow-minded view of a Jedi."

"It is the truth." Fisto replies, voice level.

"The Jedi's version, perhaps. And no, anger is not the path to the Dark Side; it is a natural thing that most living things feel," Raising her hand to pause Fisto"s response, she continues. "Losing control of that anger, lashing out at others with the Force because of it, that is the path to the Sith. The Dark Side is not evil, not inherently."

"That's a dangerous line you're walking there, Myst," Obi-Wan warns.

Looking at him, green eyes suddenly filled with pain and a heavy weight, she says simply, "That is what I have been trained to do."

"Your Master taught you to walk the edge of a cliff; what sort of person does that to a child?" Shaak Tii sounds disgusted by the thought, her hologram flickering.

Myst's eyes flash dangerously. "I do hope you aren't speaking ill of my Master; that's a dangerous thing to do."

"Are you threatening a Jedi Master? 'Cause that's dangerous," Windu shoots at Myst, temper rising.

She looks at him, a light smirk on her face. "Is that anger I sense, Master Jedi?"

Before he can respond she continues, "And, no, it's merely a warning. I am very protective of my Master." The last sentence was spoken softly, almost sadly.

Windu's face is reddening and he opens his mouth to say something but then Yoda asks,

"For what purpose has your training been?"

Myst thinks for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "It is to help me fullfill my destiny, Master."

"And what is your destiny, hm?"

All look at Myst, waithing for her answer, but she simply stands there, smiling calmly.

"Let me guess, we'll know when you want us to," Windu grumbles, obviously tired of her stubborness.

Myst just smiles. She stiffles a yawn; (Obi-Wan thinks it's fake; there are many emotions swirling around her, but fatigue is not one of them), then asks Master Yoda, 

"If you have no more questions, Master, may I go?"

"Oh, we have plenty of questions; you just won't answer them," Windu mutters.

Myst glances coldly at him, retorting, "I wasn't asking you," then returns her gaze to Yoda.

After a moment of thought, Master Yoda replies,

"Yes, yes, no more question have I, for now. Go, you can," he pauses, "Master Kenobi take with you."

Myst laughs softly then bows to Master Yoda and Master Plo. She then tells Obi-Wan she'll wait out in the hall.

When the doors close, Obi-Wan can feel Myst relax, the mystery emotion dissapating slightly. Looking first at Yoda for permission, he stands, then follows Myst through the doors, leaving the arguing Masters behind.

 


	6. Chapter Six

Obi-Wan sees Myst pacing the hall outside, rubbing her left shoulder, anxiety slightly lessoned.

"So, what do you want to do now?"  Obi-Wan asks her, wanting to distract from whatever was bothering her.

"Dunno, maybe see the Archives?" Myst pauses in her pacing. "My master always told me how big it was; how much information was stored there." She rolls her shoulders, still rubbing the left.

"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asks, gesturing to the movement.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. That's...a habit of mine; I tend to do it whenever I'm nervous, or feeling...well, trapped." She pauses, taking a deep breath. "It's better now that I'm out of there," she says, jerking her head towards the Council Room.

"Ah, I see. Well, I think you handled it...rather well. Though for future reference, maybe try to be a bit more respectful?"

"I'll consider it, but I don't make it a habit to show respect to those who haven't earned it." Myst begins walking down the hall and Obi-Wan follows. 

There is much he wants to ask but in light of how she's feeling, he leaves it for later. Instead they walk in silence, wandering somewhat in the direction of the Archives. Obi-Wan is surprised at her knowledge of the Temple but refrains from asking her about it; he doubts he'd get an answer anyway.

They pass a group of younglings and Myst stops to greet them. Her entire demeanor changes; one moment she's brooding, walking with a frown, then relaxes and smiles at the children.  They flock around her, returning her greetings; and much to Obi-Wan's surprise, she answers many of their questions. She tells them who she is (Myst), why she's at the Temple (to meet with the Council), and how she met Master Kenobi, although leaving out details. At some point the younglings notice Obi-Wan and bow in greeting. He responds with one of his own, though his attention never strays far from Myst.

 _'She definitely is a mystery,'_ Obi-Wan thinks, smiling slightly.

As if she had heard his thoughts, and judging by her comment to Master Mundi, she probably did, Myst turns to him briefly and winks. For some reason, this causes a blush to creep up his face. Thankfully, because of his beard, no one seems to notice; though most of the attention is directed at Myst. 

After a few more minutes of chatting with the younglings, Myst excuses herself and continues walking towards the Archives, Obi-Wan quickly following.

"The younglings were rather taken with you, Myst," Obi-Wan muses.

"Yes," she agrees, absentmindedly. "I love children; they have such innocent minds."

They leave it at that and walk to the Archives in silence. Upon arriving, Myst gasps softly and a look of awe slackens her jaw.

"Oh my! My Master's descriptions definitely didn't do it justice. It's beautiful! So many lights..." She trails off.

Obi-Wan swallows his many questions and instead leads her to one of his favorite spots. They greet Madame Jocosta on the way; Myst bowing slightly, voice filled with obvious respect.

Myst doesn't stay in one place for very long, soon she is walking up and down aisles, running her fingers across the many books and holovids shelved there. When one piques her interest, she pulls it out and shows it to Obi-Wan, who is following behind. Her child-like wonder amuses him and after a few times this happens, he begins to feel excited as well.

They spend hours in the Archives, exploring all the various nooks and crannies, Myst leading the way. The sun is beginning to set when Obi-Wan finally suggests they get some rest. 

"Oh, alright." Myst doesn't seem happy, but she agrees.

"You could bring a few books with you, if you want," Obi-Wan suggests.

"No, that's alright; I can always come back tomorrow." Myst starts walking towards the doors, and he follows. 

When they exit she turns in the direction of the sleeping chambers.

"I take it you know where you're going." Obi-Wan says with a chuckle.

"Of course; I usually do."

 

A tremor wakes him; a feeling in the Force. Obi-Wan sits up in his bed, heart beating fast. There's something wrong, but it's in the middle of the night, in the Jedi Temple. Nothing could get past the Jedi guards and the others here. He waits for the feeling to come again; a flicker of light, then a wave of darkness hits him, driving the breath from his lungs. He doubles over from the sheer power of it. What is going on? Is a Sith here? That couldn't be; it's not possible. 

The wave ends abruptly and the panic that accompanied it slowly fades. Obi-Wan can breathe normally again and takes a deep breath to steady himself. He crosses his legs and has bugun to meditate when a soft knock sounds at his door. Who could that be? He can't sense anyone, but he gets up to check. Upon opening the door he sees, her tangled hair surrounding a pale and sweaty face, Myst. Her eyes are wide with fear and she is breathing erraticly.

"Myst? Are you alright?" Obi-Wan asks and she stumbles into him. He wraps his arms around her shaking form as she begins to sob. They stand like this for a few minutes until the tears subside.

"So-sorry," Myst hiccups, pulling away. "I did-didn't know who else to g-go to."

Obi-Wan gently leads her to the couch then wipes away the tears, tucks a blanket around her and says,

"It's alright. I'm going to make some tea; that usually calmed Anakin down after a nightmare."

As near as Obi-Wan can figure, Myst had been the source of the darkness and panic. What the poor girl had been dreaming, he didn't know, but he was going to help her. They had a connection, and he had never liked seeing anyone in distress. 

Myst hadn't moved when he comes back with a steaming cup of tea. Her eyes are unfocused and she's still shaking. What had scared her so badly? 

"Here," Obi-Wan offers the cup. After a second, Myst takes it, but doesn't drink; the far-away look still on her face.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Obi-Wan sits next to her and gently touches her right shoulder.

Myst doesn't respond, just takes a sip. Obi-Wan settles for simply calming her; he slowly rubs her back until the shaking stops, while Myst finishes drinking the tea, one sip at a time.

The sun finds both of them asleep on the couch, Obi-Wan's arms wrapped protectively around Myst.

 


	7. Chapter Seven

 When they wake, Myst pretends like none of the night's events had happpened, greeting Obi-Wan stiffly. He follows her lead, instead asking what she'd like to do until the Council wishes to meet. They have yet to figure out what to do with her. Myst is about to respond when Obi-Wan's comlink beeps. He had completely forgotten about the debriefing and if he was late again...

Quickly, he ducks into his bedchamber to change. "I'm so sorry. I don't know how long this will take. Perhaps you can explore the Gardens? I'll meet you there when I'm done."  Obi-Wan pulls on his boots, moving to the door. "And do try to not cause any trouble, please."

With that, he leaves Myst alone in his quarters. She huffs, then decides to go back to where she'd left her belongings. After pulling on a clean, grey tunic, Myst begins to wander towards the Gardens. The Temple's halls are less crowded due to the ongoing war so she doesn't need to use the Force to avoid anyone.  When she reaches one of the entrances, she sees a group of younglings waiting by the door.  They flock around her, chirping out greetings. Two of them had met her last night and evidently told the others all about her. 

Myst returns their greetings and asks, "What are all of you doing here?"

One of the younglings, a girl about six, answers, "Waiting for our meditation teacher."

"He's really busy and is late sometimes," an Ictatchi boy pipes in.

"Well, maybe until then, you all could show around some of the Gardens?" Myst suggests.

They chat with each other for a moment then run to grab Myst's arms and practically drag her through the doors. 

As they tell her all about the plants in the Garden, with Myst listening to each one attentively, they walk to the younglings usual meditation spot. It's a clear grassy circle with medium sized rocks scattered around. They make their way there and sit in a circle, facing each other. Listening to their cheerful chattering, Myst is a bit hesitant to join their circle. Their teacher would be along at any moment and she might not be welcome. Surely by now, news had spread among the adults about her being here.

One of the girls notice Myst's hesitance and calls to the others to make room for her. Myst sits, smile dancing across her lips. She'd forgotten how inclusive children can be

"Are you going to meditate with us, Master?" A youngling asks hopefully.

Myst ducks her head, blushing slightly. "I am not a Master, and if it's alright with your teacher, then yes."

The children squeal with delight at the prospect. Myst laughs softly and, without meaning to, reaches out to all of them to show her gratitude.

"Whoa! How'd you do that?" One asks excitedly, the others asking similar questions. "Can you teach us to do that?"

"Alright, slow down," Myst laughs. "There are many things to learn first, like being in touch with those around you. You can't send a message if you don't know where they are."

"Can you show us how?"

"Please, Master Myst, please?!"

Myst sighs, thinking. The Council would  _not_ like her teaching younglings ' _corrupted'_ techniques, but if things were to change, the best way to start is with the younglings. Besides, teaching them to sense the world around them wasn't a Sith teaching at all. It's part of Jedi training...

"Oh, all right," Myst says.

They cheer and cross their leg in preparation. Myst does the same, though only making her right hand face up, her left down. The younglings see and follow suite. Myst just laughs.

"No, you don't have to do that. It's just something I do to keep the Sides separate." She raises her right hand. "Light Side." Now her left. "Dark Side." At this the younglings begin muttering. Myst can feel fear beginning to dust over their thoughts. "No, no, it's alright. The ' _Dark'_ Side of the Force is misnamed. The only difference is you just use your emotions to connect with the Force."

"Master Yoda says the Dark Side is bad and what the Sith use," a youngling mumbles.

Myst smiles at him. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Kyrnik, Master."

"Well, Kyrnik, Master Yoda is correct; the Sith do use the Dark Side of the Force," they all begin to look afraid, "but the Dark Side is not bad, just different."

"What do you mean, Master Myst?"

Myst looks at the girl, smiling. "And your name, sweetie?"

"Korinna Ores, Master."

"That's a good question, Korinna." Myst pauses, considering her next words. "Well, can you all name some emotions?"

They all do, saying ones like sadness, anger, and fear.

"Very good, thank you." Myst smiles. "But you're forgetting a few: calm, eager, joyful, proud, trusting, excited, hopeful, and brave. There are so many different emotions, and all living things feel them. It's what we do when feeling them that makes it good or bad."

Myst points at a youngling. "What's your name, darling?"

"Harro Chiik, Master."

"Well, Harro, say you felt happy and used that to connect with the Force to stop someone from getting hurt. Is that bad?"

"No, Master."

"And why is that Harro?"

"Because you helped someone."

"That's right. Now, if you were angry or frustrated ad used that to connect to the Force, and knocked something over; is that bad"

"Yes, Master."

"Why?"

"Because you broke something, Master."

Another youngling pipes up. "So good emotions are good and bad emotions make you do bad things?"

Myst looks at her, slightly confused. "I can see why you think that, but no. There are no good or bad emotions, just good or bad choices. You can feel happy and hurt someone, just as you can be angry and help them. I've been in a dangerous situation where I was furious, but used the power that emotion gave me to get myself and others out of there. Does that make more sense?"

They all think for a moment, then Kyrnik raises his hand and says,

"So it's what you choose to do not how you feel that makes it good or bad?"

"Yes, exactly." Myst notices some of the younglings still seem confused so she continues. "Regardless of whether you use the Force to do it, hurting someone because of how you feel is bad. But," Myst pauses, all eyes on her, "Using your emotions to connect with the Force is not; just a different way. What you do with that power decides if it's Jedi, or Sith."

"But Master, the Jedi teach us to clear our minds of emotion when using the Force," Korinna says.

"Yes, they do. They didn't always, but over time they grew afraid of the Dark Side and the Sith and decided that emotions were the cause." Myst senses confusion among the younglings. "They thought that because we feel emotion that we fall to become Sith when it's our choices that do. Someone with a difficulty controlling their anger can still be a good person if they choose to do good things."

"So as long as we control them and not them tell us what to do, emotions are ok?" Harro asks.

"Yes! Exactly." Myst beams at him. "Our decisions are what determine our destiny. Do you all understand now what the so-called 'Dark' Side really is?" They all nod vigorously. "Good, now think of a memory that makes you feel happy. Other emotions work as well, but we'll start with happiness."

After a minute, Myst continues, "When you think you're sufficiently happy, try to find my light with the Force. Keep your eyes closed, and when you feel me, raise a finger so I know. Take your time, alright? This isn't a competition."

They all adopt a meditation pose, legs crossed, eyes closed, hands resting on knees and concentrate. Myst opens her mind, pulling back on the walls over her signature somewhat, and waits. One by one, the younglings reach out to her until only one has yet to connect. Myst can feel frustration beginning to take hold over his mind and pushes an idea out to the others. With her guidance, they all reach out to the boy and surround him with light and happy thoughts. Laughing, he joins the group and they all share happy memories.

There is so much joy in that small circle that Myst can't help it; the grief and loss that is always in the back of her mind comes forward and she begins to cry. Immediately, the younglings crowd around her, with the Force and their bodies and send happy thoughts to her mind. Myst's tears fade away as she's enveloped in their love. One by one, she whispers thanks to their minds and begs them to do the same whenever other younglings are sad or angry.

"Of course we will, Master," their minds whisper back. "We promise."

 

Soon after, their teacher shows up and Myst takes her leave. The younglings protest but Myst insists that it's time for their lesson.

"But we alre-,"

Myst cuts her off by smiling, finger pressed to her lips. The teacher turns around to see what she did and Myst drops her hand quickly. When the teacher turns back, she winks at the younglings then begins to walk away.

"Goodbye, Master Myst!" they all call after her.


End file.
